


Beneath the Milky Twilight

by clockworkArrows



Series: Light of a Thousand Stars [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Hogwarts AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 16:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5934919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockworkArrows/pseuds/clockworkArrows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Rhys, this was a matter of life and death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beneath the Milky Twilight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dunya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunya/gifts).



_“Achoo!”_

Dozens of wings beat the air as birds took off from the nearby trees in alarm. Rhys sniffled.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Rhys?” Dyno had stopped a few paces away from Rhys when he’d let off that thunderous sneeze and was now looking back at him concernedly.

“I’m fine.” Rhys flashed Dyno his best smile, trying his hardest to keep his teeth from chattering. He wish he’d listened to Dyno and had brought his scarf. And gloves. And...a thicker cloak. He burrowed deeper into his current one, shivering slightly when the wind blew past, strong enough to ruffle his hair and nip at his ears. It did pretty much nothing against the cold. This really sucked.

“I told you you should have dressed more warmly.”

Rhys sniffled again.

It hadn’t been too bad earlier. The warmth of the shops and butterbeer in his belly had kept him nice and snug. But out here, on the walk back to Hogwarts, Rhys was really regretting his decision not to bring a warmer cloak. His feet crunched the over-trodden snow of the path as he shifted from foot to foot. It had even started snowing again. A big fat flake drifted past his nose and landed on the ground. Yeah, this sucked.

Rhys blinked as felt cool hands brush against his neck and then coils of fabric were falling in front of his eyes. He looked up. Dyno was tugging at one end of the scarf now neatly folded and tucked around his neck. It was still warm from Dyno’s body heat.

“Won’t you be cold?”

Dyno smiled, stepping back. “I’ll be fine.”

The scarf smelt faintly like apples and Rhys hunched his shoulders, burrowing his face into the soft folds like an owl as he smiled back. “Thanks.”

A pair of Beauxbaton students walked by just then, the two of them giggling as they glanced at Dyno and Rhys before hurrying away. Rhys blushed. They were standing kinda close together, weren’t they? He dug his hands into the pockets of his cloak and pulled out the bar of chocolate he’d bought earlier and chomped on it. Dyno only rolled his eyes, turning around to make his way down the path again. _Good job, Rhys, you made it awkward._

Quickly following his friend, Rhys fell into step beside him, chewing as he tried his best not to slip on the ice and snow. In the distance, he could hear the two visiting students chatting away in French. He swallowed and licked his lips. The Yule Ball was getting pretty close, wasn’t it? Only a few weeks away... Balls and formal events weren’t really Rhys’ thing but it did seem kinda fun. Also, only a few more weeks of dancing lessons. Rhys could hardly wait for them to be over. It was funny watching the red-haired head of Gryffindor house drag her flustered co-teachers across the floor but when it came to the actual dancing, well, Rhys had a hard time not stepping on his partner’s toes. Rhys stole a glance at Dyno. He wondered if he’d been asked to the ball yet. Apparently, Dyno was wondering the same thing.

“So, did you ask anyone to the ball yet?”

“Nope.” Rhys watched as Dyno hummed and chewed his lip. “A few girls asked me though.” He quickly added. Why did he say that?

Dyno raises an eyebrow. “You said no?”

“Yep.” He took another bite of his chocolate bar. He could barely recall how many had asked him.

“Why?”

Rhys shrugged, swallowing. Because...he had been thinking of someone else? Because he’d been thinking of asking him? “Didn’t feel like it.”

“The heartbreaker strikes again.”

“Hey!” Rhys pouted as Dyno ducked his head. He could see the faintest of smirks on his lips. Damn it, Dyno. “That was _one time!_ I’m not a heartbreaker, I’m just not interested!”

Dyno was struggling not to laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards as he brought a hand to his mouth. He was lucky he was cute. “Well I hope you let them down gently, Mister I’m-not-a-heartbreaker.”

“Mean.” Rhys stuck his tongue out at Dyno. He wasn’t that bad, was he? Dyno rolled his eyes but grinned. His eyes were twinkling, a mischievous, a sight that always made Rhys take pause. Rhys felt his cheeks warm and was thankful for the scarf around his neck. He ducked his head into the soft folds. “What about you?” his voice was slightly muffled.

Now it was Dyno’s turn to shrug. “No.”

“Oh.” Really? Dyno was popular with the girls himself, much to Rhys’...dismay...so he should have been hounded with invitations. Well, then again, Dyno didn’t exactly like this sort of thing. Did he? Shoot, he should have thought about that. Well, Would he want to go with him? “You want to go with me?”

Dyno stopped. Rhys looked at him. “W-What?” He was all but gaping.

 _What? ...I just said that out loud didn’t I?_ Rhys mentally smacked himself. _Smooth move, Rhys._ He fiddled with a corner of his cloak. Maybe if he wished hard enough he could turn back time…

Okay maybe not.

Dyno was still staring at him. Rhys gulped. Well, he wasn’t called reckless for nothing.

 _Just keep calm, you can do this._ “The ball. Do you want to go?”

“...With you?” He seemed to have gotten over his initial shock and there was now a faint blush on his cheeks..

“With me.”

Dyno scowled, the blush on his cheeks growing darker. “I’m not a girl, Rhys.”

“I know.”

Silence. And then, slightly muttered, “You better not be playing tricks on me.”

“Why would I be tricking you?”

It seemed like Dyno couldn’t think of a reason. With baited breath Rhys watched as he looked down at the snow, chewing his lip again as his eyebrows furrowed in thought. “Fine.”

Rhys’ heart skipped a beat. Did he mishear? “Fine?”

“Fine.” Dyno was still staring at the snowbanks. Even from here Rhys could see the gears of his mind going in overdrive. Ah...he hadn’t pressured him, had he? Well, then again this was Dyno he was talking about. Wasn’t easy pressuring him to do anything.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Finally, Dyno looked at him. “No, I want to.”

“With me?”

“With you.” Don’t make me repeat myself, he seemed to say as he crossed his arms.

Rhys grinned.

He was going to the ball. With him. He was going to the ball with Dyno. Dyno was going to the ball with him. Rhys had never felt so giddy in his life. _Yes!_ His heart felt like it was beating in double-time and his body felt oddly light. Even the cold of the quickly darkening afternoon seemed to have been banished away as they began walking again. He was going to the ball with Dyno! The wind blew past. Okay, maybe not all the way.

“My hands are cold.”

“Don’t push your luck.”


End file.
